Finding the perfect Christmas gift for friends and family can be a difficult task.

But with these five popular items from World Vision’s Gift Catalog, you can bring meaningful help and hope to children, families, and entire communities struggling with poverty, while honoring someone special in your life!

Melisa in Guatemala is 12 and the second oldest of 6. She loves being a big sister and helping her family: walking her siblings to school each morning and feeding the animals her family has received from World Vision.

That's why she's so grateful for World Vision's support – to watch her family grow with the nourishment from farm animals and for them to attend better schools and have the supplies they need!

Read about how she is a growing light for her brothers and sisters, and her whole community!

Typhoon Hagupit is making landfall in the Philippines right now, in a region that is still recovering from Typhoon Haiyan 13 months ago.

Blogger Matthew Paul Turner was with us in Tacloban just 4 weeks ago and witnessed the devastation of the last storm, the fragility of many people's current living situations, and the rebuilding efforts now threatened by this new storm.

Antonio in Mozambique had to give up his dream job because he didn't have a birth certificate. But now his children won't have to face that challenge because through World Vision sponsorship, the whole family now has birth certificates.

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for today? We're thankful for you!

Earlier this month, Rich and Reneé Stearns shared their first Thanksgiving meal of 2014 with Dipshikha, who teaches the children of brothel workers at a World Vision Child Friendly Space in Bangladesh.

Give the gift of a pig today to boost family incomes and provide plenty of protein for undernourished children. One sow can produce 20 babies a year, and within six months a piglet can weigh 200 pounds — and fetch a hefty price at the market.